Stinging move! Hooker Clare returns for Cup clash

TIGERS PICK MORE EXPERIENCED TEAM FOR THE VISIT TO FACE MIDLANDS RIVALS WASPS

LEICESTER Tigers have named a vastly more experienced squad to face Wasps in their Premiership Cup clash this afternoon (1.30pm).

Without a fixture for more than a fortnight after the Coventry Building Society Arena encounter, Tigers have selected a starting line-up that can boast 409 appearances for the club.

In comes George Martin and Tommy Reffell to the back row while Calum Green features in the second row and Charlie Clare makes his return from injury to start at hooker.

Clare, pictured, will make his first appearance of 2020/21 after being injured during the pre-season fixture away to Jersey Reds in August.

Meanwhile, Wasps are unchanged from the side that started the 34-27 defeat to Newcastle Falcons last time out.

The XV named has collectively only 97 Wasps appearances between them – with only 10 more being added from the bench that contains three potential debutants in academy forwards Alfie Bell, Fyn Smith and Greg Fisilau.

The visitors have also named a largely inexperienced bench with only 10 Tigers appearances between seven of the group. However, an additional 132 come in the form of Harry Wells.

Academy scrum-half Sam Edwards could make his debut from the bench.

Brett Deacon, who is operating as Tigers head coach during the Premiership Cup period, said: “This is another opportunity for the players selected to carry the club forward.

“Wasps showed last week how dangerous they can be with ball in hand and, at home in front of their supporters, they will be out to put in a big performance.

“It is a different Tigers team again, with a few more experienced campaigners than last weekend, who must give us a performance up to the standards we expect at the club.”

Wasps remain heavily hit by injuries and also have a Gallagher Premiership game just six days after tackling Tigers, back at the Coventry Building Society Arena, when Gloucester are the visitors on Friday, November 26.

Focusing on the Tigers threat, acting head coach Scott Barrow said: “They’re gritty, they get stuck in, their set-piece is good, a good old Leicester performance really. That’s what they did against Sale. They punished any mistake by Sale, they kicked a lot and squeezed a lot of points out.

“Very similar to what we’ve seen before.”

Wasps: 15 Cameron Anderson, 14 Luke Mehson, 13 Rekeiti Ma’asi White, 12 Olly Hartley, 11 Ollie Dawkins; 10 Tommy Mathews, 9 Sam Wolstenholme (c); 1 Gordon Reid, 2 Michael van Vuuren, 3 Biyi Alo, 4 Tim Cardall, 5 Sebastian de Chaves, 6 James Tyas, 7 Mario Pichardie, 8 James Tunney

Replacements: 16 Dan Eckersley, 17 Zac Nearchou, 18 Pieter Scholtz, 19 Alfie Bell, 20 Fyn Brown, 21 Greg Fisilau, 22 Ollie Monye, 23 George Simpson

Leicester Tigers: 15 Kini Murimurivalu, 14 Kobus van Wyk, 13 Guy Porter, 12 Dan Kelly, 11 Hosea Saumaki; 10 Dan Lancaster, 9 Jack van Poortvliet (c); 1 James Whitcombe, 2 Charlie Clare, 3 Joe Heyes, 4 Ollie Chessum, 5 Calum Green, 6 Francois van Wyk, 7 Tommy Reffell, 8 George Martin

Replacements: 17 Dan Richardson, 18 Will Hurd, 19 Harry Wells, 20 Tomiwa Agbongbon, 21 Sam Edwards, 22 Juan Pablo Socino, 23 Jacob Cusick